wix - custom action dialogbox on silent uninstall of application

I am attempting to silently uninstall a windows application with the flags: /quiet and /uninstall but the installer currently does not suppress a CustomAction dialog box. When the dialog box appears, the user needs to confirm (by pressing the yes button) to remove all program-generated data.

Is there a way to tell the uninstaller to click "yes" on quiet mode?

Below is the current wix code.

<!-- Remove app data custom action -->
<CustomAction Id="SetPathToRemove" Property="ShowRemoveFilesDialog" Value="[ApplicationAppDataDir]" />
<CustomAction Id="ShowRemoveFilesDialog" BinaryKey='CustomActionsBinary' DllEntry='ShowDialogRemoveFiles'
              Execute='deferred' Return='ignore' Impersonate='no'/>

Cross-Link: Similar answer and short version. And the older: I screwed up, how can I uninstall my program?

Suppress Dialog: If that dialog is shown without a proper condition then no, you can not suppress it outright, but there are many workarounds.

"Fixes": There are some "fixes" of varying degrees of "insanity" for failing or stuck uninstalls (generally for the failing ones where custom actions cause the uninstall to roll-back and fail to complete - a catch 22 situation where you can't go forwards or backwards):

• 1) MS FixIt: There is a Microsoft FixIt tool that sometimes allows you to get rid of stuck installs (not sure if it applies to dialogs from custom actions). Try this first if you have one or just a few instances.

• 2) Minor Upgrade / Patch: Patch the existing installation with a minor upgrade (preferred approach) - Chris Painter's answer. This can also be used "large scale" to fix a broken MSI's uninstall sequence which can then be invoked on all machines. The real fix if you like (once the problem is there on a large scale with many machines affected). There are some challenges in logistics.

• 3) Transform: Hack apply a transform that is then applied during uninstall (not recommended - too involved for comfort, error prone).

• 4) Dr.No No: If there are few instances you can hack the locally cached MSI database (basically the same that happens via a patch, only done manually.

  • Works if you got a handful of machines (say 1-5 machines to clean up).
  • Support job - not without risk! Not recommended.
  • And don't delete custom actions! Just add a condition "AND 0" to the offending custom action sequencing - that will stop the custom action from running.

• 5) Lunacy: Some use tools from "stranger shores" - such as AutoIt which simulates keystrokes to dismiss stuck dialogs. Not at all good enough large-scale, but might work for smaller scenarios. Not recommended. Try tools like these against security software! Oh no! (anything can happen, it WILL break - just a matter of time).

Conditions: You should never show a dialog from a custom action sequenced in the InstallExecuteSequence, though you can control its display using the UILevel property. You can add such a condition to the MSI using approaches 1-3 above. (NOT UILevel = 2 can be tried. Level 2 is completely silent running)

Suppress Failing Custom Actions: When uninstall is prevented by failing custom actions (as opposed to rouge dialogs), you could resort to an "inoculation method". You can update your package to be able to suppress custom actions via a command line switch which sets a specific property as a flag:

msiexec.exe /x {PRODUCT-GUID} SUPPRESSERROR="1"

See this WiX sample, or the mockup below (slightly different, but the same concept):

Adding Condition:

Quick mock-up for how to add a conditioned custom action to the InstallExecuteSequence:

<Property Id="FLAG" Value="1"/>

<..>

<CustomAction Id='Something' Property='INSTALLFOLDER'
              Value='[CMDLINE_INSTALLFOLDER]' Execute='firstSequence' />

<..>

<InstallExecuteSequence>
   <Custom Action='Something' Before='AppSearch'>NOT Installed AND FLAG</Custom>
</InstallExecuteSequence>

With this approach all custom actions can be suppressed from running by invoking this kind of customized msiexec.exe command. Hence problematic custom action during uninstall or upgrade can be suppressed. This is just an "emergency method" to get something uninstalled.

I guess I should make the condition NOT Installed AND FLAG="1". Didn't test that, leaving in what is there.

Here is a similar, previous answer: Suppress custom actions on uninstall.

Some Similar or Related Answer:

• Problem with Wix uninstall using CustomAction
• Deleted Program Files, can't run uninstall
• I screwed up, how can I uninstall my program?
• How to apply a Msi transform at uninstall?
• Uninstall msi with full ui mode condition (wix toolset)
• Uninstalling MSI-Package always gives reboot message
• Unable to uninstall the application which is installed using wix installer